Gryphon Learning Student Handbook: Lessons and assignments
Student Handbook: Lessons and assignments


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Gryphon's lessons

As you work through each lesson, information is sent over the internet to the Gryphon Learning LMS (Learning Management System.) We record the material you have studied and the responses you make. Each question or activity is linked to the related criteria, and as you successfully complete questions and activities, we accumulate evidence that you have partially or completely satisfied those criteria.

A correct response to a question might satisfy part of one, or part of many different criteria.

What if you incorrectly answer a question? Not an issue! Remember, failure is not a relevant concept to competency-based assessment. We are only concerned that you end up competent. So just keep trying until you get the right answer. Of course, it is important to TRY! Anyone who just hits buttons randomly until they get a correct response is unlikely to successfully complete the supervised assessment.

We do record incorrect responses for Quality Assurance purposes. If most people get a question wrong first time, we get our experts to find out why. Perhaps we need to modify the lesson to more clearly explain a concept, or to give more information. Then again, it could be that most people have a particular misconception, and the question successfully picks this up and points it out to them. For example, most people seem to have the misconception that no contract is involved when a cheque is written.

Resources, study groups and assistance
It is permissable, and sensible, to use a range of resources when studying and answering questions. By all means, partner with another student, form study groups, look up references and use any and all resources that would be available to a working financial advisor. Just make sure that YOU do the LEARNING, and YOU enter the RESPONSES. Remember, anything could turn up on the supervised test.

Errors
Most of the errors students report in the lessons or questions turn out not to be errors at all except on the part of the student! If you think you have found an error, consider

  1. Are you mis-reading or misinterpreting the question?
  2. Could the question be read several ways? How would the average client interpret the question?
  3. Have the rules changed, since you first studied this?

Gryphon's assignments

Assignments are intended to assess a range of criteria in a situation that mirrors a real-world situation you may well encounter at work.
In assignments we are typically assessing

  • communication skills (so pay attention to spelling etc)
  • skills in interpreting and following complex instructions and processes
  • judgement in applying knowledge of legal requirements
  • and a range of other elements of competency.
  • We use assignments to check that you don’t fall into the typical, real-world traps such as
  • making too many assumptions
  • satisfying the client at the expense of legal requirements
  • making critical spelling errors (e.g. in the client name or contact details)
  • taking shortcuts in critical procedures or processes
  • failing to satisfy the client
  • wasting time or resources

Resources, study groups and assistance
It is permissable, and sensible, to make use of the kinds of resources that would be available if you were doing this task at work. However, YOU must submit all the responses. Written responses must be in your own words. Diagrams must be your own. We do not accept joint or group submissions.

Preparation for assignments
Before starting an assignment, check the criteria and competencies that are being assessed. Read the assignment carefully. Needless to say, you should do the associated study before attempting the assignment.

Errors
Sometimes we include deliberate errors, especially if we are assessing your ability to find errors. If you find a genuine, or deliberate error, then email us, describing the error. You will not be penalised, and your email may even provide evidence of competency.

However, make sure it is a genuine error. Spurious error reports can affect your assessment. For example, one student emailed us saying the instructions were too complex to follow! Since the assignment was assessing, among other things, the ability to follow complex instructions, the email provided us with evidence the student did not yet posess that competency.